March 31

Given that we're in a perpetual drought here in California, it feels weird to say it, but I'm so thankful that it didn't rain today. And that there's no rain in the immediate forecast. 

And part of that gratitude is rooted in the truth that these guys get to play ball when the skies are clear.

Brady didn't have a game tonight and since Spring Break is officially here, won't for at least another week. But Isaac and the Freshman Dons played this afternoon and scored a home win. 

Isaac is still rehabbing his shoulder so he can't swing the bat, but he started at and got a few innings in right field, which is one of his preferred positions. I know it bums him out to not be able to hit --he even said so as we walked to the car after the game-- but I'm proud of him for continuing to show up and contribute however he can. 

I know it's not easy to take when you're a teen who just wants to play, but I'm grateful for that patient perseverance.

March 30

Charm is both my hairdresser (though don't blame her for the current state of my locks -- that's entirely on me) and my friend, so it was a blessing to have some unplanned chat-time with her at the Mother Ship this morning.

When she dropped into the chair across from me with her coffee cup, she explained that she was killing some time before an appointment downtown. And so we spent the next hourish or so talking about this and that.

I so appreciate her directness and her kind heart, and I love how she always stands up for her kids and for those who need a voice.

She's opinionated for sure and we don't agree on everything, but knowing her is certainly a blessing.

March 29

This is what I saw when I logged into Facebook this morning.

I didn't share it to my profile because I knew immediately that it would be today's post here. I knew that seeing that face would be the highlight of my day before my day had really started. And now, a negative exchange with a teacher and a continuing three-day-long headache and an unintentional three-hour late-afternoon nap and a missed dinner later, I can confirm that it was indeed the best part of today.

How I miss this face. The dances and the smiles and the Cars shirts and hats and shoes that he so proudly wore. The chirpy little voice that never did get the chance to deepen with time. How my soul sighs when it realizes, internalizes that it's been 11 long years since I've held and felt the warmth of his little hand. It could all break my heart. But it doesn't. Not truly, anyway. Not in a permanent, irreparable way. Because I know he's in Heaven waiting for me and for Someday to arrive.

So for that big, important truth on a less than awesome day, I am grateful.

March 28

When I dropped Isaac off at school after his PT appointment this morning, I watched him as he walked up to the office. (You may have to squint because I scrambled to get a shot, but he's there.)

I live with the kid. I see him every single day. I wake him up in the morning with his own personalized "it's time to get up" song. I eat with him and laugh with him and watch him interact with Brady and cheer when he plays ball. You could say that I probably know him as well as anyone.

But I was still taken aback by how grown he looked as he disappeared inside. Sure, he's tall --exactly six feet, per my most recent measurement-- but it was more than that. It was something about the nonchalant confidence in his carriage. In how his ballcap was perched on his head. 

So today, I'm grateful for that sight and for the truth that he's continuing to grow into a good young man.

March 27

Sometimes it does me a world of good to just look at something lovely for a little while.

Like today's late-afternoon sky, with its canopy of patchy clouds and diffused sunlight. Although yet another storm is primed to roll in tomorrow morning, this sight soothed my soul in that moment.

And for that, I am grateful.

March 26

Adam's parents gave him a belated birthday gift yesterday: a Roomba.

So this afternoon Adam positioned his phone atop said-vacuum and started a video chat with all of us --including Abby-- so we could see our house from Roberto the Roomba's perspective. 

I'm not gonna lie: it was weird. But it was nice to be together again. So I'm grateful for the silliness and for the family time, because I believe both are truly good for the heart.

March 25

Isaac is a good big brother.

After last night's mercy-rule success, Brady (and, well, his entire team) played an awful game this afternoon, and little bro was understandably upset when he emerged from the dugout post-loss.

Isaac met up with him, gave him a hug, and immediately asked if he wanted to go hit. Brady said sure, so Isaac grabbed little bro's bag and then off they went, right back to where the disaster had just taken place. 

I watched as Brady tossed the ball into the air, swung the bat, and sent it screaming into the outfield over and over again. And Isaac dutifully retrieved the ball each time and tossed it back to Brady. 

It could be seen as two brothers just playing ball, I think Isaac was trying to help Brady replace a negative memory with a good one. And for that bit of beyond his years wisdom from my 14-year old, I am grateful.

March 24

It was not a warm evening for a Friday Night Lights edition of Little League baseball. It was especially not warm after the sun went down and the sky transitioned from a gentle, fuzzy late-day light blue to pitch black. But it was a very good evening nonetheless.

We arrived very early for warm-ups, early enough for me to sit with Nikki to watch her son Blake's game. (And that was after she and I rounded the Sports Park not just once by twice this morning. So today featured a delightful double dose of one of my favorite folks.)

Anyway, Brady's game got started a bit late but all  went well for the Phillies and for my muffin in particular, who went 3 for 3 with a double and scored three runs. (That's him in the pic in the red top, right next to his friend Jackson, who was playing 3rd base for the other team.) Adam and Isaac and I huddled together in the stands under a blanket as the action unfolded. And in the end, the Phillies won 8-0 in five innings. 

Although this life is filled with both wins and losses, it's sweet when your team puts in a good effort and reaps a reward in return. So today, I'm grateful for the blessing of good play and a good victory.

March 23

To be honest, I didn't really look for God today. I mean, I had my prayer time and periodically talked to God as I completed my tasks, but I wasn't really looking. So I'm sure I missed something worthwhile, which is unfortunate.

But as I passed by the front window after dinner this evening, I took note of the thick bank of clouds that was rolling in over the distant hills. And I also saw the light that peeked through those clouds.

When life seems overwhelming, it's pretty easy to feel lost in and even absorbed by the darkness. But it's important to remember that points of light are still there -- we just have to look for them. And notice them. And, in some cases, be willing to get over ourselves long enough to acknowledge their presence.

March 22

Isaac had an appointment with the dentist this morning so both he and Brady accompanied me to the Mother Ship. 

I really like this picture. Okay, well, I've seen better photos of Isaac and Brady of late. But I really like this picture of me. I genuinely love being their mom (just like I love being Abby's mom and Logan's mom. If only he could be in this photo, too). And I can see that love in my expression.

When I'm feeling down or off, it's a blessing to have photos like this one to look back on that will help me to remember 'right, yes. This is me. God has blessed me with this.' Because this is very good indeed.

March 21

I've felt kind of down lately, and to be honest, I wasn't particularly looking forward to my Session (Elders' board) meeting this evening. But I slapped on a smile and Zoomed in when the appointed time arrived. (Apologies to Mary for the sneak-pic! At least you weren't mid sneeze.)

And I'm so glad I did. We frequently open our time together with a devotional and discussion, but tonight we shared our concerns and then prayed for each other in a very structured way. And it was just what I needed to help lift me out of my funk.

I'm so grateful to be surrounded by people who will pray for me and with me when I'm low or stressed or trying to make a decision.

If I can pray for you, let me know. It's always a gift to be able to intercede for others.

March 20

Given that I knew Isaac's shoulder would keep him on the bench during this afternoon's game, I was a little worried he'd be melancholic during the drive home. But he wasn't. In fact, he was downright cheery.

Maybe it was the ridiculous hilarity that ensued when we realized that I'd accidentally managed to order two yard signs for our very small front yard. Maybe it was the fact that they won the game. Maybe it was because he's starting to feel more comfortable with and connected to his teammates (which he told me in the car as he chattered away about the game). Or maybe it was his dogged good attitude and even more dogged insistence that he's going to see the doctor, do what he has to do to rehab, and then get back out there on the diamond as soon as possible. 

Or maybe it was a combination of all of those factors. Regardless, I'm thankful for his resilience, determination, and adaptability in the face of things that don't exactly go as planned. If only the whole world faced challenges with such acceptance and faith.

March 19

Aside from our usual church outing, I didn't do much today except crochet hats for this Fall's military pack-out effort and watch TV.

After I finished a hat, I decided I'd like to work with this lovely pink chenille yarn I had in my stash, so that's what I did. This is the beginning of what I think will be a hat with cat ears. (Maybe. I'm not following a pattern so who knows where it'll wind up.)

Tonight, I'm grateful for slow days and for the creative process that I follow when I crochet. Inspiration is most definitely a blessing from God.

March 18

As this day draws to a close, my mind is overflowing with tufts of thought. But given that tufts are by nature disjointed and airy and mostly nonsensical, they're hard to express. So perhaps keeping it simple is the right way to go.

The boys had a total of three games today: two in the morning at the high school for Isaac, and one in the afternoon for Brady. And by the time the dust settled, it wound up being something of A Tale of Two Brothers for my brositos.

Isaac had minimal playing time; he was a pinch runner in game one and then during game two he had a little time at second base and a few at-bats, although his second at-bat ended prematurely when he subluxated his shoulder (again) and told his coach he needed to exit the game. It wasn't an ideal situation, but I'm proud of him for handling what I'm sure was a great deal of disappointment with grace.

Brady, conversely, just missed clubbing a homerun during his first at-bat and wound up going 3 for 4. The game went on for a whopping 11 innings --when they usually play only six-- before the other team snapped the 1-1 tie by scoring what wound up being the winning runs. It was quite the marathon, but they all played well and had good attitudes and it felt good, despite the eventual loss.

So yeah: two boys, two programs, two vastly different experiences. But I'm so proud of both of them for handling their respective challenges and frustrations and successes with so much class and perseverance. They're good boys, those boys of mine, and win or lose, play or no play, I'm always proud to be their mom.

March 17

It didn't rain today (or yesterday) and the city didn't close the fields, so Brady's team actually played a game tonight (which was a good thing because he was dressed in uniform and ready to play by 7:30 this morning).

Brady was the starting pitcher for the Phillies and recorded six strikeouts across his two-plus innings of work. Although they started off a bit slow offensively, they came alive in the top of the fourth and notched a whopping 13 runs, which was enough to bring the game to a premature 13-3 ending at the completion of the bottom half.

Watching him pitch always makes my heart race, but I'm really proud of him for going out there and putting his all into what he does on the diamond.

March 16

The boys didn't have school today so of course that meant that they didn't get dressed until they needed to head off to their respective baseball practices.

But the lack of day-clothes didn't preclude them from donning their caps for some time in the sunshine this afternoon. 

I stood at the dining room window and watched them toss a baseball back and forth, back and forth. At some point they moved over to the hammock, which is where I snapped this image when I went outside to check on them.

Easy, peaceful days in the sun are always blessings, so I'm thankful for this one.

March 15

Brady didn't have school today because the power on campus was still out from yesterday's wind storm, but Isaac did. And as I backed the car out of the garage this morning to ferry him to class, I uttered a rather embarrassing, well-duh-worthy observation: Oh wow, the sun is out! Look at the sun!

Although I was indeed channeling Captain Obvious in that moment, the sentiment was very real. 

It's been unusually rainy and overcast for the past month-plus, and it's been hard on me. I'm someone whose moods are significantly impacted by the weather, so seeing those rays of sunlight this morning inspired in me a true sense of joyful thankfulness.

So yes, today I am grateful for sunshine and blue skies and the implicit reminder that although storms may rage, the clouds do eventually drift away and leave peace in their wake.

March 14

Adam and I went out to eat this evening at Strizzi's downtown, where I enjoyed a comical volume of various liquids.

From left to right, we have Adam (who is not actually a beverage), prosecco, Diet Coke, and ice water.

All silliness aside, it was a nice evening. I haven't had much alcohol of late so the prosecco made my head a little fuzzier than usual, but I still felt a sense of peaceful satisfaction sitting there at the table imbibing my many drinks and nibbling my meal while Adam shared about his day. So for those moments, I am grateful.

March 13

Math hasn't been a strong suit of mine for some time. I did manage to get an A in Calculus in college, but that was mostly because I took it by itself during the summer so I had plenty of time to focus and internalize the concepts. But I digress.

Lately I've felt more mushy-minded than usual, so I decided that I'd try my hand at some Sudoku puzzles. I've never had much luck with them but managed to successfully complete a few easy ones this afternoon.

And I didn't even hate it.

So for the motivation to sharpen up my thinking and the desire to try something new, I'm thankful. Because I always want to work toward being a better, more well-rounded person.

March 12

Isaac decided he was still hungry after dinner (which happens on a regular basis). 

After surveying his options in the fridge and pantry, he decided to make a banana cream sandwich: sliced bananas and whipped cream on bread. Kind of like a savory banana cream pie, I guess.

I love this kid and I appreciate his creativity, even if I don't always understand it. I think it's important to be able to think outside the box, so I'm thankful that this boy of mine is blessed with that ability.

March 11

It's Saturday night. I'm in my usual seat in the family room watching Cold Justice and munching on a cup of ice from my incredibly awesome ice maker. (Seriously, if it's possible to actually love an appliance, I love my ice maker.) Adam is reading to the brositos upstairs. And Abby is back in her dorm room at Wheaton for the last few months of her freshman year of college.

Yep, her Spring Break week is over. We loaded into the car this morning (with some of us still in pajamas that we may or may not have worn all day long *cough*IsaacandBrady*cough*) to procure some sausage egg McMuffins and then shuttle her to the airport for her return flight to Chicago.

It was bittersweet to see her head into the terminal and disappear from sight. I miss my shopping and Starbucks buddy when she's gone. But I think we had a nice week together and I know she's going to have a great couple of months with her friends and in class. And I know she'll continue to mature into the woman God intends her to be while she's there. So for all of that, I am thankful.

March 10

Today is Adam's 45th birthday.

The celebration truly started last night when Isaac and Abby both got to work on their gifts; while Abby poured over thousands of old photos to find the perfect picks for her big cork board collage, Isaac hit the kitchen to bake and decorate sugar cookies. (He even left a big cookie at Adam's desk with a hand-drawn happy birthday note. And he cleaned up the kitchen and the table. It was awe-inspiring.)

Today the boys had school and Adam had work, of course, but we celebrated in the evening with Mountain Mike's pizza for dinner, presents, a viewing of Top Gun: Maverick, and spice cake with cream cheese frosting (baked and decorated by Abby, frosted and lit ablaze by me). 

It was, I think, a very nice day. I hope Adam felt appreciated and loved, because he most certainly is. He's a very good man with an amazing heart, that husband of mine, and I am so grateful for him and for this amazing family we've built. Happy birthday, hunny!

May 9

I've had that Spidey-mom-sense feeling that Isaac grew again recently so tonight we did a back-to-back measurement with Adam. And at long last, the boy is taller than the man. The level's bubble is officially to the left of center.

Isaac and Abby have both been taller than me for some time now, but it's weird to think that one of them is now the tallest member of our little family. At age 14.

It's definitely strange. But it's always a blessing to see them grow (and grow and grow), so I am thankful.

May 8

Abby joined Brady and I for our customary Wednesday morning coffee date at the Mother Ship this morning. 

So naturally, she was part of our weekly photo, too.

It's been fun having her around this week. I know the boys have appreciated seeing their big sister too, so it's a blessing all-around.

And for that --for the opportunity to see them together again having a good time-- I am so thankful.

May 7

The boys had Youth Group tonight so Abby joined Adam and I on our Tuesday night date.

It was a Daughter Date, if you will.

As we sat there at Chili's talking and being goofy and eating, I thought a little about what it was like back when it was just the three of us; how we'd take her for evening walks and she'd want to pick, pick, pick all of the "fudgers" she saw. How I'd load her up into the car and push her around the mall in the stroller when I was feeling isolated. And how we'd lie on the floor of her bedroom with her reading books and stacking Peek-a-Blocks and listening to The Veggie Tales and Waltzing Matilda.

They're sweet memories that I'm grateful to have stored away in my mental files. So for those early moments with her and for the moments with all four of our kids over the past 18-plus years, I am thankful.

March 6

I got to leave the house this morning with all three of these beautiful young people in the car with me. (I look just-rolled-outta-bed awful so don't look at me.)

After I dropped the boys at their respective schools, Abby and I hit up the Mother Ship for java. And then we were off to Target and Dick's (for an Isaac-related purchase, of course) and Crumbl (because cookies) and Walmart.

It was kind of like the old days, and I'm thankful for such a sweet little dose of nostalgia.

March 5

Dinnertime can be entertaining at our house.

Tonight's episode began as we finished our burgers. I innocently suggested that Abby tell a friend she'd been texting about her middle school love of My Little Pony. Adam looked up a song from said-animated series and played it on his phone, which prompted Abby to pick up her spoon so she could sing along. Which prompted Brady to quietly begin recording her performance. And Isaac... Isaac's eyes just darted back and forth between the two of them as he nibbled on the remains of his bacon dog.

Yep, mealtimes can be interesting. And I'm thankful for that extra-special dose of weirdness that comes from having Abby back in the nest.

March 4

It was a cold, windy, wet Opening Day that featured an assortment of yays and bummers. 

Yay number one was Brady pitching the first three innings of his team's game as the rest of us --including Abby-- cheered him on from the bleachers. 

But the clouds and rain rolled in so unfortunately, they were unable to actually finish the whole game, which was a bummer. The rain and eventual field closure also meant that Isaac was unable to umpire the games he'd signed up for today, which was disappointing. 

But his unexpected availability meant we were able to go to lunch together at Black Bear, so we did just that. 

And then Abby and I went to the mall while the boys went home; she tried on dresses at Francesca's as I looked on. And when we got home, I chilled in the bedroom while she and the boys played Mario Kart and Mater's Tall Tales. We finished the day with takeout from The Cheesesteak Shop, per Abby's request. And so here I am, writing from my usual perch in the family room.

Yes, it was a day of yays and bummers, but all in all, I'd call it a yay. I got to spend it with all three of these amazing young people, so how could it be anything but a blessed day?

March 3

The gang's all here! (Well, we're as "all here" as we ever are.)

It's Spring Break week for Abby so she flew home from Wheaton today. When her arrival hour finally arrived after dinnertime, the rest of us piled into Adam's car to pick her up from the airport.

I don't have any grand reflections other than to say that it's really, really good to have her home. It's good to hug her and to talk to her in person and to observe the subtle ways she's changed over the past few months. And it's good to see her doing her big sister thing with Isaac and Brady. 

Family is a tremendous blessing, and I am so thankful for mine.

March 2

Opening day isn't until Saturday (assuming the rain in the forecast doesn't materialize), but this evening saw Brady and the Phillies suit up for their first scrimmage of the spring season. And it was a beautiful evening for baseball.

We didn't really keep score, but Brady played well: he was the first pitcher on the mound --recording a ground out, a fly out, a base hit, and a strikeout-- and also led off the batting order. With said-bat in hand he went 2-for-3 and made solid contact all three times he was up. So yes, he had a good game.

I can tell that he feels confident right now and I'm thankful for that because it's so hard to play well when you doubt your ability. And beyond that, I'm grateful that it seems like he's on a team with two good coaches and a lot of nice boys. Good play and good kids will hopefully lead to a great season.

March 1

I was standing in the front window admiring the colors left in the wake of the sun's daily descent beyond the hills this evening when I noticed the two very bright lights in the upper lefthand quadrant of this image.

After I watched them for a while and ruled out the "it's a plane" possibility, I called Adam into the room and he used his stargazing app to determine that I'd spied two planets: Venus on the right and Jupiter on the left. (If we're wrong, feel free to correct me! I'm far from an astronomy pro.)

Given that Venus and Jupiter aren't exactly close to Earth, their brightness was stunning. Awesome, even. So I stood there a little longer watching as the light continued to fade. 

I'm thankful that God is a God who creates beautiful things for us to ponder and enjoy.